Sir Charles Bennet Lawes-Wittewronge

Other names: Charles Bennet Lawes (known as "Lawes" until 1902 when added "Wittewronge" after his kinsman, Thomas Wittewronge (d. 1763), from whom his family had derived the estate of Rothamsted)

Born 3 October 1843Died 6 October 1911

Active: 1872 - 1911

Country of birth and death: Great Britain

Sculptor, sportsman

Born in Teignmouth, Devon. He was a sportsman (athletics and rowing) as well as an artist. Lawes-Wittewronge studied first with John Henry Foley and then with Hugo Hagen in Berlin (1869). One of his major works was a colossal marble group 'The Death of Dirce' which was exhibited at the Royal Academy (1906 and 1908) and the Franco-British Exhibition (1908). Between 1881 and 1884 Lawes was involved in a lengthy dispute and libel action Belt v. Lawes, which ended in Lawes declaring himself bankrupt. Further details are given in the entry for Richard Belt and in the article by John Sankey (details below). He died at the family home, Rothamsted, Herts. The funeral took place on 10 October 1911; Royal Society of British Sculptors sent wreath [9 October 1911, Royal Society of British Sculptors: Minutes of Council Meetings, no.1].

Exhibition committee member for International Exhibition in Rome, 19117 June 1909 (Circa) - 1911 (Presumed)Accepted offer to join the committee representing Great Britian (7 June 1909, Royal Society of British Sculptors: Minutes of Council Meetings, no. 1). Gave society details of spaces for sculpture (3 January 1910, Royal Society of British Sculptors: Minutes of Council Meetings, no. 1).

Institutional and Business Connections

Associated with Royal Commissioners of the 1851 Exhibition 1911 (Presumed)Part of Royal Society of British Sculptors sub-committee to advise on the Travelling Scholarship of Rome [18 Royal Society of British Sculptors: Minutes of Council Meetings, no.1].

Donor to Royal Society of British Sculptors10 January 1905Agreed to cover all expenses incurred in the production of a society seal [Royal Society of British Sculptors, Minutes of Council Meetings, Vol.I].

Honorary treasurer of Royal Society of British Sculptors 1904 - 1911Voted in pro-tern at meeeting on 10 January 1910 [Royal Society of British Sculptors, Minutes of Council Meetings, Vol.I].

Member of council The British School at Rome18 May 1911Elected member of the council for forwarding the re-constitution of the School on behalf of the Royal Society of British Sculptors [18 May 1911, Royal Society of British Sculptors: Minutes of Council Meetings, no.1].

Proposed motion to Royal Society of British Sculptors2 March 1905 - 3 April 1905Lawes-Wittewronge 'gave notice to move at the next council meeting: That it be recommended to the General Meeting that ladies be eligible for membership. Mr Frampton would second the notion' [2 March 1905, Royal Society of British Sculptors: Minutes of Council Meetings, Vol.1]. The motion was lost at the meeting on the following meeting [3 April 1905, Royal Society of British Sculptors: Minutes of Council Meetings, Vol.1]

Personal and Professional Connections

Employed Richard Claude Belt 1871 - 1875Belt worked for Lawes and the two sculptors also entered a partnership which had ended by 1875. In 1881 an anonymous article published in 'Vanity Fair' made claims against Belt to the effect that he had not been responsible for many of the works attributed to him. Belt initiated a libel action against Charles Lawes who wrote an open letter to the Lord Mayor of London concerning these allegations. The details of the trial are given in the entry for Richard Belt and are recounted in detail in John Sankey, 'The sculptor's ghost – the case of Belt v. Lawes', 'Sculpture Journal', vol 16, no 2, 2007 pp. 84-9.

Nominated by William Robert Colton18 May 1911To represent the Royal Scoiety of British Sculptors on the council for the re-constitution of the British School at Rome [18 May 1911, Royal Society of British Sculptors: Minutes of Council Meetings, no.1].

Nominator of Herbert Hampton6 July 1908For membership of the Royal Society of British Sculptors [6 July 1908, Royal Society of British Sculptors: Minutes of Council Meetings, no.1].

Nominator of Thomas Brock18 May 1911To represent the Royal Scoiety of British Sculptors on the council for the re-constitution of the British School at Rome. Nomination carried unanimously [18 May 1911, Royal Society of British Sculptors: Minutes of Council Meetings, no.1].

Seconded by Francis Derwent Wood18 May 1911To represent the Royal Scoiety of British Sculptors on the council for the re-constitution of the British School at Rome [18 May 1911, Royal Society of British Sculptors: Minutes of Council Meetings, no.1].